Schools in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) reopened on Tuesday after floods wreaked havoc in the province.

The devastating floods forced the Department of Education in KZN to close some schools in the affected areas.

According to the latest count, at least 630 schools were affected. 101 were inaccessible and 124 suffered extensive damage.

The provincial education department said teaching and learning would not take place on Tuesday at 101 schools that remained inaccessible.

According to the reports, the floods claimed the lives of 57 pupil. A teacher and a food handler also died.

In an interview with ECR, the department's spokesperson Muzi Mahlambi said five pupils were still missing after days of heavy rains last week.

"We are convinced that we will be receiving a lot of devastating news to say this child is not at school because he has passed on or he is not at school because he has lost his parents or he has become homeless or he lost siblings or this educator has not been able to come to school because he has lost hits house."

Mahlambi added that the estimated cost for school infrastructure repairs was sitting at R42 million.

Meanwhile, Minister of Basic Education Angie Motshekga is on a mission to establish the extent of the damage in KZN schools.

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